Tewksbury Enrollment Rebounded Slightly: Early 2021-2022 Numbers

TEWKSBURY, MA — Tewksbury Public Schools enrollment has rebounded slightly from the lows of the coronavirus pandemic, according to preliminary data set to be presented to the School Committee Wednesday evening.

The district has 3,191 students, according to unofficial enrollment figures for Oct. 1 included in the committee's meeting packet for Wednesday's meeting.

That's a nine student increase over the 2020-2021 school year, when the district reported its lowest enrollment in years. But it still represents a major decline from before the pandemic; in the 2019-2020 year, the district had 3,348 students.

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Like many districts across the country, Tewksbury reported a significant decline in enrollment last year, particularly at the prekindergarten level. And it's at that level that the district recovered the most.

Prekindergarten enrollment was 156 students as of Oct. 1, up from 111 a year before but still down from 173 prior to the pandemic.

"All districts saw a decline in Pre-K numbers last year because of the pandemic, and don't forget, public schools are not the only option for Pre-K," Tewksbury Superintendent Chris Malone noted when Patch first reported the town's pandemic enrollment decline.

"This school year is certainly more like we have seen prior to last year," Malone said.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.